F-15 Crashes off Okinawa; Pilot Ejects Safely

An U.S. F-15C Eagle from Kadena Air Force Base crashed off the coast of Okinawa early Monday morning local time. The pilot safely ejected, service officials said.

The pilot was conducting a routine mission when the fourth-generation aircraft went down at about 6:26 A.M. local time in the water south of Okinawa, officials said in a release.

The lone pilot "successfully ejected," the release said. "Search and rescue crews responded and successfully recovered the pilot," it said. The Air Force has launched an investigation following the accident.

The crash is the latest in a rash of Air Force aircraft mishaps in recent months.